PUBLICATION LAUNCHING

RUO JI RUO LI is the publication created, authored and designed by the graphic designer – TAN Shu Xian. RUO JI RUO LI is the Chinese pinyin of the words “若即若离”. It means “So close, so far” in English. The book aims to investigate and illustrate the relationship between Shu Xian’s mother and her grandmother and to assist her mum to interstate and clarify a ‘doubt’ that has long been kept in her heart.

The story of the book is ordinary and personal but very sentimental and inspiring. The flow of the content is designed as an autobiography of her mother since she was born. The book describes and illustrates the life event that has been gone through by her mother, and to investigates the relationship between the mother and the grandmother. To further analyse the whole story, Shu Xian also interviewed her relatives for this project to furnish the book.

The book aims to bring positivity to the public.  The first impression of the story in the publication might be negative due to the involvement of social issue such as the bias of male child in a traditional culture, suicide due to worst relationship and how the core family education might affect the thought of the children. Yet, positivity awareness is raised through the ways and mindsets of how Shu Xian’s mother deals with all the issues in her life since she was young.

The design of the book is also meaningful. Shu Xian incorporates many memorable photos of her mum and family member in this book with solid colour shapes. The book is tied with a red thread that indicates the bonding as the family relationship despite not being close. The designer also uses the alphabet spacing to illustrate the distance of “so far yet so close. Besides, the designer includes the “inside pages” as the messages she wants to tell her mum.

Click [here] to view the portfolio

Interesting fact: Since these photos were taken 20-30 years ago and kept in some corner of the house, Shu Xian managed to scan the photos into the computer before the photos are damaged by termites.  The book then becomes more valuable for her and her family.